1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gymnastic machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine provided with a support movable along a given direction from and to a starting station in order to perform muscle stretching exercises. In more detail, the present invention relates to a gymnastic machine for muscle stretching provided with a support movable along a given direction from and to a starting station in order to perform alternating movements. The present invention also relates to a method of using the gymnastic machine for muscle stretching.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that in the field of gymnastic machines for muscular activities of various kinds, the machines dedicated to muscle stretching are a narrow minority. This fact is mainly justified by the critical nature of stretching exercises, which are only apparently simple, but in fact are particularly insidious if executed by an inexperienced athlete without a supervising trainer, given the high quantity of degrees of freedom left to the athlete while executing such exercises. Therefore, the market for said machines is very limited, because the presence of a trainer could place every athlete, even if inexperienced, in the condition of executing effective stretching exercises also free style, or through the simple availability of a wall or of a tree, if outdoors, or of a wall bar, if in a gym. On the other hand, relying on a trainer requires being tied down to a schedule that does not always suit the athlete's needs, and bearing the related costs, which increase in proportion to the number of training sessions. This is likely to be particularly costly for those who suffer from backache.
To overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, the applicant has recently filed the invention Patent Application No. RA2006A000009 wherein teachings are provided to construct preferably but without limitation a gymnastic machine usable for performing stretching exercises for the posterior kinetic chain, and particularly for the glutei, the piriformis muscle, the rachis, the ischiocrural muscle and the femoral bicipital muscle, and therefore for the lumbar musculature too, in order to prevent backache. According to a preferred embodiment of said machine, the user may employ a slide movable along a longitudinal guide to control the rotating movement of a support with respect to the slide. With the back and the glutei bearing on the slide and the lower limbs on the support, the relative movement of the support induces the lower limbs to rotate with respect to the back and thus produces a stretching of the lumbar muscles.
Though it is particularly safe and very easy-to-use, such gymnastic machine does not allow to stretch the ileopsoas muscle, or hip flexor muscle, and consequently to prevent the compression of the lumbar vertebrae due to contraction of the muscles in the anterior kinetic chain. As a result, people wishing to train/stretch said kinematic chain currently cannot use a gymnastic machine and must necessarily resort to the aid of a trainer, with the above-mentioned drawbacks this entails.